I will be autocross racing with my all my new mods for the first time. I was in the stock class but now I am in ESP. I have a strut tower brace, new front and rear sway bars, subframe connectors and driveshaft loop and I am running the stock shocks/springs/and 16" tires.
How will I compare to others in the ESP class who have tires springs and shocks? Running completely stock I was running a 84 second time while a slightly modded 2001 Mustang Cobra with IRS was running 79 seconds, will I be able to keep up with him with my mods?

 

Tires will help even more. You will be closer, but you need to get serious about your rubber of you want to stay ahead.

Unfortunately, this is from lots of Solo II experience that I can say that tires can make or break your position.

TankII

 

Actually, I think the SFC bumps you past ESP into SM or maybe ?Prepared.

 

SFC put me in SM actually. Tires are a BIGGIE. I upped mine to 274/40/17s on a 17"x9.5" rim. I just put the Toyo RA-1s on there (DOT R tire). I drive on the street w/ them too On a course that was taking me 60 sec, Im down now to about 58 sec just from the rubber.

I would suggest new shocks or springs & shocks after new tires. If you have more than 30k miles on your shocks (stock) then they are probably shot, and didnt work very well to begin with. If your getting springs, get the shocks then to match them up. Mine are pretty hard for autocrossing (650# fronts, 225# rears). Most I see want about 400-450# front, but this all depends on the swaybar your using too.

Just remember that all your suspension mods work to keep your tires on the road, and you dont want to waste them on tires that cant use the extra handling you bought with your last mod

 

Thanks for the input, I checked and the event registrar thinks I should go in SM class. Now I am really going to get beat bad, my car is all stock except the strut tower brace, sway bars and subframes. Hopefully next year I can afford new 17" tires. How badly should I expect to be beat with my Z28 in the SM class?

 

It really depends on the driver more than the car for most autocrosses. The exception being lots of long straights or lots of tight turns. But I get beat by Minis and thats not using the PAX index, they are just FASTER though that course. But Im pretty sure I'd beat them on the track, or at a drag strip

 

Well, if you're looking for some wheels and tires, I live on the west side of Detroit not too far from you and I the wheels and tires in my sig are for sale. I'd take $350 for them. The wheels are like the 3rd gen Trans Am GTA wire mesh wheels (black) and the Hoosiers have at least 6-8 more autocrosses on them. Each wheel and tire weighs 41 lbs. vs. my stock wheels and tires at 48 lbs.

I'll be at the MSCC autocross on 7/21 if you're interested in them. You're welcome to try them on your car and do a fun run. I think you'll be happy.

I love the Hoosiers, but I'm upgrading to C5 brakes this summer and they won't work with 16" wheels.



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Mike Taylor
'94 Formula
Holley cold air, Borla downpipe, Walker UltraFlo catback, BMR STB, BMR PHR, Ground Control coilovers, Bilsteins, 16x9.5 Rikens, Hoosier 275/45/16 A3S03, G2 Torque Arm, Torsen T2R